Fascinating Fact:
The proportions of nutrients needed in a balanced diet vary with age, activity level, and factors such as pregnancy or illness.
In GCSE Biology, you learn that a balanced diet supplies the right amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre, and water. Understanding nutrients helps explain how diet supports growth, energy release, and long-term health.
Key Terms
- Balanced diet: A diet that provides all the nutrients the body needs in the correct proportions to stay healthy.
- Nutrient: A substance in food, such as protein or vitamin C, that the body needs for energy, growth, or repair.
- Malnutrition: Poor health caused by an unbalanced diet, which may include too little or too much of certain nutrients.
Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)
What is a balanced diet in GCSE Biology?
In GCSE Biology, a balanced diet is one that contains the right amounts of all main nutrients, plus fibre and water, so the body can work properly and stay healthy.
What nutrients should be in a balanced diet?
A balanced diet includes carbohydrates for energy, proteins for growth and repair, fats for energy and insulation, vitamins, minerals, fibre for digestion, and plenty of water.
How can an unbalanced diet affect your health?
An unbalanced diet can lead to tiredness, poor growth, weakened immunity, and diseases such as obesity, heart disease, or deficiency diseases linked to lack of specific vitamins or minerals.
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